A Highly Contested Topic
by Annie Sparklecakes
Summary: SasuSaku. He's not lonely, he says, Because he has her. In which Sakura desperately tries to form a bond, and Sasuke grows more and more attached by the day. He won't admit it, but the truth doesn't lie.
1. You

For **the blanket**, who now owes me. :D Also for everyone who's been so tolerant of my disloyalty to my _real _OTP.

**Blanket disclaimer: **I own nothing someone else does.

* * *

**A Highly Contested Topic**

The more time passed, the fuzzier the details became. What words had he used, how had he touched her, did he – even once – meet her eyes? Sakura knew that she couldn't relive the experience – nor did she want to – so she created her own interpretation of the night Sasuke left, but she needed just one piece of information to complete it.

That was why she defeated Karin, why she launched herself at Suigetsu so he couldn't slow down Naruto, why she swiped a hand at the base of Sasuke's neck, like he had done to her, so long ago.

She had one question. Just one question.

"Sasuke," she said, deliberately leaving out the honorific. He stared up at her, silent and unreadable. Was he angry that they had stopped his attack? Was he relieved to be alive? Had he missed them? _Her? _Sakura couldn't tell. "The night you left, did you thank me before knocking me out?"

She just wanted to be sure he had really given her that. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows in surprise for a split-second, then answered, "Yes." No question about it. Like he had been thinking of that night too.

Sakura smiled, said, "Get some sleep, Sasuke-kun," then left his hospital room.

-x-

"You're too attached," Tsunade had said, when Sakura and Naruto had brought Sasuke to the hospital. She was examining his reports, coolly ignoring Sakura's rising anger. "You can't treat him."

"I _have _to!" Sakura said. She had never been disrespectful to her mentor, but Sasuke brought out the worst in her. Or best, maybe. "_Please_."

Tsunade had looked at her then, and maybe seen something she liked in her expression – maybe the same thing that urged her to take Sakura on as an apprentice – and said, "Why?"

Because Kakashi had made him strong enough to leave, and Naruto was strong enough to bring him back, and Sakura only had _this one thing _to prove herself, to prove that she loved Sasuke too.

"Because I'm the only one that can handle him," she said, and walked into the Operating Room.

Tsunade wasn't happy when Sakura finished operating, _still _wasn't happy now, three days later, while Sakura continued to treat Sasuke – and maybe favor him a little, although she tried very hard to hide it. Sakura didn't much care. She had her team back. _She had her team back. _Who else did she need?

-x-

Sasuke spent his time alone in a heavily-guarded hospital room until he healed enough for a proper trial. Danzo had been killed, and even if it hadn't been made quite official, he had still been Hokage. Sasuke's attack on him would not be taken lightly.

Still, Tsunade was weak, Kakashi would take up the mantle of Hokage, and Sakura _knew _he would let no harm come to Sasuke.

She assured Naruto of this, day in and day out, right before she walked through the guarded door, waving off Genma's warnings, and set eyes on Sasuke.

"Naruto wants to see you," she said to him one day, picking up his file from the foot of his bed.

Sasuke stared sullenly out the window. "I can hear him," he said.

"I'm sure the whole village can," she agreed, stepping closer. "How are you feeling?"

Sasuke shrugged. "When do I get out of here?"

"Don't be in such a hurry," she warned. "You have a pack of very angry elders waiting for you out there." She set down the file and walked over to the sink in the corner to wash her hands.

"Hn." Sakura turned and Sasuke stared up at her. "How's my team?"

Sakura winced. Sasuke always asked her that.

"Healing," she said. That could apply to both teams, after all.

He didn't seem satisfied by this answer, but he didn't press. Sasuke could at least be assured that his teammates were safe; Sakura wouldn't lie about that.

"Do you want to see them?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I thought I wasn't allowed."

That wasn't an answer. "You're not," Sakura said with a sigh, ordering him to raise his arm so she could unroll the blood-soaked bandages. He had gotten horribly beat-up by both Akatsuki and Konoha shinobi. It hurt just to look at him. "But at least you have me?"

"At least I have you," Sasuke echoed, not sounding very happy about it. Well, at least he didn't sound upset about it, either, Sakura told herself.

Sasuke didn't see anyone lately. When he first returned, Tsunade had allowed a brief Team Seven reunion. Naruto had been over the moon, but Sakura was awkward, Kakashi was watchful, and Sasuke was silent. It had hardly been the meeting she had always dreamed of.

After that, Tsunade only allowed Sakura, as Sasuke's medic, to see him regularly. Sometimes he was visited by a guard, or the Hokage herself. Otherwise, Sasuke was kept in isolation.

How ironic, that Sakura was the only thing keeping him from being alone. She hoped he didn't still find her annoying.

"Are you lonely?" She tried for light and teasing, but the question came out as honest and sincere as it really was. Sakura cleared her throat.

"No," he said. He added, with an ironic twist to his lips, "I have you."

Sakura's heart thudded in her chest and she had to excuse herself.

-x-

"Sakura," Genma said, voice serious but eyes mocking, "No falling for your patient."

"Too late for that," Kakashi said with a ruffle of her hair. Sakura batted it away, blushing.

They were in the hallway outside Tsunade's office. Sakura had just left after giving Tsunade an update on Sasuke's condition, and Kakashi and Genma appeared to be going in.

"I am very professional," she assured Genma, thinking of the way Sasuke's hair was growing a little too long and into his eyes. It irritated him to no end.

His eyes were as pretty as they had been three years ago.

"It's okay," Kakashi said, leading Genma into the office. "No one has to know. Sasuke won't tell."

Of course he wouldn't. Just getting Sasuke to speak was a challenge, Sakura thought, smiling, as she walked down the hall.

-x-

"Do you want a haircut?" Sakura asked. Sasuke looked from the scissors in her hand, to her face, and back.

"_You're _going to cut my hair for me?" He scoffed. "I'm fine."

"I cut my own hair," she pointed out. She fingered the ends of her hair, thinking of the Chuunin Exams. "I have experience."

"That wasn't the best haircut," Sasuke said, and Sakura looked up, surprised. His gaze was distant; he appeared to be thinking about those same exams, though Sakura had been speaking in general.

"I can do better," she said, stepping forward. "Your hair's getting long."

He waved her away. "I like it," he said. Sakura thought of Uchiha Itachi and understood.

"So it's true," she said with a little laugh. Sasuke stared at her, and she explained: "You _do _like long hair. Just not on girls, I guess."

"I guess," he echoed.

"How about I trim your bangs?" she suggested. "Just so they don't get in your eyes."

Sasuke didn't reply for a moment. Then he inclined his head, turned to face her, and closed his eyes.

It was ridiculous how her pulse thrummed at such a simple gesture, Sakura told herself, even as she stepped closer to Sasuke, so she was standing between his legs. Sasuke's hands were settled on his knees. He had refused to wear a hospital gown, so Sakura had ordered a nurse to buy him a pair of loose-fitting black pants and a navy shirt. Then Naruto had stitched Sasuke's clan symbol on the back. She had told him, teasingly, that he was her most troublesome patient.

Now Sakura took a breath and reached out a hand to his face.

Sasuke's hand whipped out to catch hers before she made contact.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Sorry," he said flatly, dropping her hand and opening his eyes. "Instinctive response."

Well, it was too much to hope he would put all his trust in her, Sakura thought. Still, how had he lived, for him to be so guarded and alert?

Sakura reached out again, more slowly. Sasuke watched her closely as she tilted his face up with two fingers under her chin.

"Relax," she said. "I can't mess this up."

"We'll see," he said, with a flicker of a smirk.

She made a face at him. "Just trust me."

He closed his eyes.

-x-

Sasuke was healing nicely. He was still battered and bloody and bruised, but he was capable of attending a trial, Tsunade said once Sakura had given her her daily update on Sasuke's condition.

Sakura left Tsunade's office with a tight throat and left to find Naruto.

He was grim-faced and waiting for her outside Sasuke's hospital room.

"Kakashi-sensei just told me," he said. Of course Sakura would be the last to know. Didn't anyone realize that she _loved _Sasuke?

"Can you get me inside?" Naruto asked. "I want to talk to him."

Sakura nodded, turned to the guard outside Sasuke's door – Lee – and said, "Let us in."

"I can't do that, Sakura-san," Lee said, looking pained.

"And if it was Neji in there?" she said.

Lee wavered for a moment, then stepped aside.

Sasuke was up and waiting for her. When Sakura stepped in, he looked expectant, and when Naruto barged past her, Sasuke looked confused, then annoyed as he looked from Naruto, bearing down on him at the foot of his bed, to Sakura, standing by the closed door.

"What do _you _want?"

"I _want_," Naruto said, "For you to not get thrown in jail. Don't ruin my hard work by being a smart-ass tomorrow."

"My trial's tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Sakura said, stepping up beside Naruto. "You'd better prepare yourself." She gestured for him to strip off his shirt. "We aren't allowed to attend, so Naruto wanted to wish you luck."

"Don't be stupid tomorrow," Naruto repeated.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, then turned to Sakura. "And my teammates?"

"We're right here," Naruto said. "Idiot."

"Moron," Sasuke said. "I meant my—" He broke off, searching for words. "My _other _teammates," he said, and Naruto beamed. Sakura did not.

"They've already been tried," Sakura said quietly. "They're being detained until your trial."

Sasuke looked at her. "When were they tried?"

She winced. "I—"

"_Sakura."_

"A week ago," she sighed, determinedly avoiding his gaze.

"And you didn't tell me." It wasn't a question. Sakura still refused to look at him.

"Sakura-chan doesn't owe you anything," Naruto snapped. "But you owe _us_. Don't screw up your trial."

Sasuke kept looking at Sakura, even as he answered Naruto. "I won't. And then I want to see my teammates."

"We're right her—"

"Shut up."

Naruto broke off, looking hurt. Then his gaze narrowed and he turned on his heel. "You're lucky I don't pick on patients," he said to Sasuke. Then, to a shell-shocked Sakura, "I don't know how you deal with this."

More sad than angry, Naruto stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Sakura moved towards Sasuke, hands flaring with chakra, and set to work on extracting poison from his wounds. "Why do you need to see them so badly?" she asked, not ready to call _them _Sasuke's teammates. That was _her _title. "You were never so concerned about us," she couldn't resist adding bitterly.

Sasuke didn't look at her. "It's none of your business, Sakura."

"I just—"

He looked at her then, his cold gaze chilling her to the bone. "Next time, try being honest with me."

And Sakura turned defensive, flaring up immediately. "Like you're honest with _me_, right?"

"Right," Sasuke shot back, pulling away from her. "I've been honest from the beginning."

"Then be honest now," Sakura said, "Did you ever miss Team Seven?"

"No."

Sakura shook her head, mouth having gone suddenly dry. "I don't believe you."

"And I don't _trust _you," Sasuke said.

Sakura stared at him as if she'd been slapped. Then she stepped back, turned around, and left the hospital room.

Lee was waiting anxiously outside. Sakura smiled humorlessly at him.

"That would never be Neji in there," she told him.

-x-

"You were right," Sakura said dully. "I'm too attached to him. I can't treat him any longer."

Tsunade appraised her for a moment, then sighed.

"It took you long enough to figure it out," she said. "But I can't do anything about it."

"What? Why?"

"Because after you left, I sent in Shizune," Tsunade said, rearranging her barely-touched stacks of paperwork. "Sasuke wouldn't let her touch him." She eyed Sakura over a folder. "Maybe you're not the only one with an attachment."

Sakura didn't answer.

"Either way, he's leaving the hospital tomorrow," she said. "His treatment will continue at his home, where he can be isolated from the other patients. You'll be treating him there."

Sakura still didn't speak, and Tsunade leaned back in her chair, a smile curving her lips.

"Do me a favor," she said, "Go down and see Sasuke's teammates. They're eager for news." Her smile widened. "You should speak to them. It'll do you some good."

-x-

Sakura went to see Juugo first. He was the most heavily guarded, for reasons Sakura couldn't understand; he seemed pleasant enough. Then again, she hadn't battled against him; maybe he was more dangerous than he appeared.

"Hello."

"Hi. How's Sasuke?"

"He's fine," Sakura says. "He's healing well, and is being moved to the Uchiha compound. I'm sure you'll be allowed to see him soon."

"That's good. He's not in trouble?"

Community service, no missions for two years, and he was under village arrest for eighteen months. "Not much," Sakura said. After all, Sasuke's sentence _was _extraordinarily light; probably for saving Naruto from Madara and being able to tame the Kyuubi when it tried, once again, to take control.

Juugo nodded. "I see." Then he settled back against the wall of his cell. "Thank you for telling me."

"Of course," she smiled, then left to speak to Suigetsu.

-x-

Much to Sakura's surprise, Kakashi and Naruto were already standing in front of Suigetsu's cell when she arrived.

"Tsunade-sama told us to meet you," Kakashi said, by way of explanation. "We've filled Suigetsu in on the details."

"This guy is so lame," Naruto said, scowling fiercely. Clearly, he hadn't gotten over Sasuke's words the day before.

"I heard that," Suigetsu called out, and Sakura peered through the bars of his cell. He was sitting against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him. he smiled when he saw her. "Sakura, right?"

"We've already met," she reminded him. "I broke your nose."

"I'll have to pay you back for that someday," he said casually. His grin was feral. "How're you doing with Sasuke?"

"Fine," she lied.

Suigetsu smirked. "Don't take it personally if he's mouthing off to you," Suigetsu said. "He takes some getting used to."

Like _she _needed to be told that? before she could stop herself, Sakura snapped, "I can _handle _Sasuke-kun."

Suigetsu, for his part, only smiled smugly, as if Sakura had answered a question he hadn't asked.

"What?" she demanded. She could feel Naruto and Kakashi watching her.

"Nothing," Suigetsu said innocently. "Have you met Karin yet? I think you'll like her."

-x-

Sakura didn't like Karin. Naruto went with her to speak to the final member of Sasuke's team, but he didn't seem to find anything wrong with her.

"She's just like you, Sakura-chan," he said. Sakura glared at him, and he added hastily, "Only not as pretty."

As soon as Karin had seen Sakura, she'd sneered and turned her back on her.

"Sasuke-kun's prissy ex-teammates," she had scoffed. "What do _you _want?"

"Just to let you know he's doing fine," Naruto said. "Being a snot, but fine."

"Don't talk about Sasuke-kun that way," Karin said. "Idiot."

"Don't talk about _Naruto_ that way," Sakura said, trying to control her temper. It was getting the better of her too often these days, and that was unprofessional.

Karin obviously had no such need to calm her ire. "Or what?" She turned back to face Sakura. "You want to come in here and try me? do it. I dare you."

Sakura had to force herself to back away. "Been there, done that," she said.

"Coward," Karin spat as they left.

"What a _bitch_," Sakura said now.

"She's just confident in her skills," Naruto said. "She's really annoying, though."

-x-

Sakura took a deep breath outside Sasuke's door.

"Are you alright?" Neji asked.

"Fine, fine," she said. "Thanks." She took another breath, then knocked on the door.

Sasuke opened it almost immediately. Clearly, he had been waiting for them.

"It was unlocked," he said.

"I know," Sakura said. He looked at her for a moment, then his gaze flicked to Neji.

"Hyuuga."

Neji nodded. "Uchiha."

"Sakura," Sakura said, stepping in between them, and catching Sasuke's attention once more. "Don't mind Neji; he's just my guard."

"You don't need a guard," Sasuke said.

"No," Neji cut in. "But _you _need one."

Sasuke's expression darkened. Sakura sighed.

"Can we come in?" she asked politely.

Sasuke stepped back, and they entered, then moved to the living room in the back of the house.

"What do you need?"

"Um." Sakura began pulling supplies from her bag. "A basin full of cold water, clean towels, and probably a sheet so your floor doesn't get dirty." She looked at Neji before Sasuke could move. "Could you?"

"Bathroom," Sasuke said. Neji nodded and disappeared.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked.

"Fine."

Sakura chewed her lip. This was going to be a very awkward session if she didn't apologize. Then again, what did _she _have to apologize for? She was always apologizing to Sasuke. Not this time.

"Well," she said stiffly, "Let's get started."

-x-

She session went by slowly, awkwardly, _agonizingly_. Sakura remained as professional and detached as she was able, while Sasuke reverted to his naturally cold self. His distance made Sakura realize what progress she had been making before their fight.

It just wasn't _fair_.

Sasuke walked Sakura and Neji to the door, and as she left, Sakura noticed Naruto coming towards them.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" he said brightly. "You're leaving? Why don't you have lunch with us?"

"No thanks, Naruto."

"Aw," he said, but didn't press – not that Sakura expected him to. "Sasuke! I forgive you! Let's go to Ichiraku!"

Sakura glanced back over her shoulder at Sasuke as she walked away. He was looking at her, and she quickly turned away. Neji excused himself from her company; he had to keep watch over Sasuke, he said. Sakura left him to slip back into the shadows, left Naruto to ask Sasuke to treat him, left Sasuke to refuse, and left the way she had come – alone.

She had become spoiled, Sakura decided. Spoiled as Sasuke's only company for so many days. He had opened up to her – however slightly – in a way he wouldn't to Naruto. She had, finally, had a piece of Sasuke that was hers and hers alone.

But that kind of thing couldn't last.

Sakura told herself to stop moping and headed for the hospital without looking back.

-x-

She forced herself to be more cheerful the next day. Maybe she would even apologize. She was wrong, too.

"I saw your teammates," Sakura said tentatively, once she and Sasuke were settled in his living room. Shikamaru was guarding today, and he allowed them their privacy.

Sasuke immediately looked up.

"I did too," he said. "Yesterday."

"Oh," Sakura said, confused. "I thought you—" She broke off, seeing the glint in Sasuke's eyes. "What?"

He sighed. "You're such an idiot."

"…"

"You guys are my teammates," he said. "Aren't you?"

That was as close to an apology as she would ever get from Sasuke, so Sakura smiled and began her healing session.

"How were they?"

"Hm?"

"My—" He faltered —"Juugo, Suigetsu, and Karin. How are they?"

"In prison," she sighed. "Not for long, I don't think. maybe you can meet them soon." She watched Sasuke closely for his reaction, but he only nodded. Sakura couldn't tell what that meant – so she asked.

"You want to see them?"

"Send them home," he corrected. "If possible."

This warmed her heart, and Sakura smiled. "So, did you and Naruto have fun yesterday?"

"No," Sasuke said. Typical Sasuke response, Sakura thought, and laughed.

"What did you guys do? What did you talk about?"

"We didn't," he said, "Naruto _shouted_, and I wished I didn't know him."

Things were going back to normal, Sakura thought happily, and didn't realize that Sasuke hadn't actually answered.

-x-

Sakura met Naruto at Ichiraku for dinner later that night and suggested they invite Sasuke the next night.

"He is such a grump, though," Naruto said. "He was all pissy yesterday because I forgot my wallet."

"No one wants to pay your ramen bill, Naruto," Sakura said.

"It's not like he isn't loaded," Naruto grumbled.

Sakura laughed. "Did you have fun yesterday?"

"Yeah," he said. "You should've joined us! We had a good talk. Man-to-man."

"I'm so sure," she said, picking up her glass of water and raising it to her lips. "What did you talk about?"

"You, actually."

Sakura choked on her water. _"Me? _What about me?"

Naruto handed her a napkin. "You okay?" he asked, concerned. When she nodded, he shrugged. "Just how you were doing while he was gone. He—"

"What did you tell him?"

Naruto blinked, taken aback by her tone. Sakura kept her gaze fixed on her bowl as he said, "I told him you missed him, and that you had trained really hard, and that you could smash boulders…" He trailed off, shrugging again. "He was worried you were mad at him."

Sakura looked at him, surprised. "Really? Sasuke said that?"

"Well, not in so many words. You know how Sasuke is. Verbally constipated." Sakura laughed and Naruto smiled, relieved to see her back to normal. "Why? did you guys get into a fight?"

"I don't know," Sakura said, and explained to him, in the briefest of terms, what had happened between her and Sasuke.

"You guys are what, playing Twenty Questions?"

Sakura shook her head.

"That's what it sounds like," Naruto said. "If I tried that, he'd tell me to shove off. I guess you're _his _favorite, too, Sakura-chan." He waved Ayame over to refill his bowl. "Either way, who cares? He apologized, and you didn't. Keep it up, Sakura-chan! Fight the power!"

-x-

At the beginning, Sakura had only had one question. One question, she'd thought, and she could be at peace with her memories, knowing they were complete. It had all spiraled out of control, though, and she was asking things now that she wouldn't have dreamed of before Sasuke left.

Twenty Questions, she decided, didn't sound so bad.

"Answer me this," Sakura said, reaching up to dab the blood from Sasuke's neck. Though her voice remained steady, her expression blank, Sasuke could feel the tremor in her fingers as they slid against his skin.

He didn't reply, only waited. Sakura needed no encouragement to speak.

"Did you come back only for Naruto?" she asked, pulling away to dip the cloth in her basin of water.

"I didn't come back for Naruto," he said automatically.

"Liar." Her hands shook; the water splashed out of the basin and she cursed under her breath. He was almost amused by her language, almost wanted to comment on it. "You came back to save Naruto and to return to your village, and maybe even for Kakashi-sensei." She looked at him. "I wasn't in any more danger than Hinata, or Lee. So did you have any reason to come back for me?" She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. She wouldn't be surprised if Sasuke snapped at her now, no matter what Naruto said.

"No," he said, and she sucked in a breath. "I had no reason."

She fell silent after that, and although she struggled to keep her expression neutral, her eyes gave her away. Sasuke could almost read her thoughts: _Sasuke-kun is so cruel. I need to give up on him. I _will _give up on him_.

She turned back to him, probably biting the inside of her cheek to remind her not to falter, and busied herself with her work. She held a hand over the gash on his neck, drawing out the infection, stitching the wound. She was standing so close that he could hear her uneven breathing, though he didn't know if it was from the exertion of the healing, or from her emotions. He knew he alone had the ability to send them into absolute turmoil.

It was true, what she said: Naruto had not only ruined Akatsuki's plans, but he carried the nine-tailed fox; Kakashi was notorious for posing a very clear threat to the organization; but what was Sakura? To them, nothing. Just a medic, just a friend to Naruto and a student to both Kakashi and the Godaime. She was excellent leverage, if they chose to use her. But they didn't.

Sasuke really had no reason to return to her.

He reached up to touch the scar of his freshly healed wound, brushing Sakura's fingers as she pulled away from it. It stung to touch, but was rapidly healing. He stared up at her solemnly, and could see her resolve already breaking.

He answered, and by answering, gave Sakura a piece of himself she never had to share.

"But I came back," he said.

-x-

"I have a question," Sasuke said. "What's with all the questions?"

Sakura didn't answer for a moment, busily extracting poison from a wound on Sasuke's abdomen. It was a tender wound, and the poison was such that she could only draw out a certain amount a day before risking further damage. When she finished, she blew a lock of hair out of her eyes and looked at him.

"You don't like them?" He didn't answer, and she continued, unwinding a roll of bandages. "Well, when those guys from Kumogakure came to Konoha and started asking about you – I didn't really know what to say."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and she snapped, "I wouldn't _tell _them anything about you!" As if she thought she had to convince him. "But I realized… I didn't know you. I _don't_."

She looked down at the bandages in her hands. "We're teammates. But we're not friends like you and Naruto, or even you and Kakashi-sensei. And I thought…" She reddened now, as if just realizing how nosy she was being. "Sorry. It just happened. I had questions. You had answers."

She fell silent and turned to re-bandaging his wounds. He let her work in silence.

As she tidied up her supplies and got ready to leave, he spoke.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

She smiled, caught off-guard. Sasuke didn't waste words on pleasantries.

"You will. Bye, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke settled back in his seat and thought.

* * *

Right. It seems a bit all over the place because… well, it _is_. I wrote this out of order, and the piece is kind of fragmented, but I just needed some word vomit to get me back into the SasuSaku groove. Things will start to come together a bit next chapter. Also, this is only a three-shot, so don't expect much plot. Like I said, word vomit. I think my SasuSaku skills are a bit rusty – clearly, I've been writing too much KibaSaku – so I would greatly appreciate some feedback!


	2. Me

A few people mentioned that Sasuke was being too nice, so I thought I'd address that. Although part of that is my fault – my own poor characterization, which I'll keep in mind for the future – part of the reason is because, remember, this is a three-shot. I don't have much time to turn him from snot to not. I have, however, adjusted his character a bit this chapter in response.

Also, just a reminder that this fic is, primarily, about Sakura and Sasuke. so everyone else is kind of pushed to the side. The style remains choppy and fragmented and, yes, a lot of this is unrealistic. But, it's SasuSaku. So what do you expect, right?

* * *

**A Highly Contested Topic**

Sakura did imagine, sometimes, that when Sasuke came back she would be cold. Aloof. She would be angry and she would never back down from his attitude. She could – she _would_ – hold her own against Sasuke. She wasn't twelve anymore.

But then, neither was he.

Even at twelve – even at _eight _– Sasuke had seemed so mature. The tragedy that had warped his childhood had made him grow five years in one night, it seemed, especially when all she had to compare him to was goofball Naruto.

It was only when he returned at age sixteen, more composed and distant, less inclined to snap at her for being too affectionate, that Sakura realized that the Sasuke she had known and loved had been emotionally stunted – younger in mind than both her and Naruto. She didn't know what had changed him now, if he had grown up, or just grown a stronger hold on his emotions. Maybe both. That was fine; Sakura had grown too. Or so she thought.

Because when she was actually faced with Sasuke, Sakura was at a loss. She babbled. She was awkward. And she let him get away with everything. She didn't know if that made her weak – she knew everyone else thought it did – or if it just meant that she cared about Sasuke enough to forgive him for his faults.

She liked to think it was the latter, if only because Sasuke, when she brought him a plate of freshly sliced apples in a fit of nostalgia, actually took one.

-x-

If she was honest with herself, Sakura could admit that she didn't need to see Sasuke daily any more. If she was even _more _honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to.

On the one hand, she never knew how to act around Sasuke. She fumbled and stuttered and made a general fool out of herself in front of him, and she hated that. And yet… he was Sasuke. She just couldn't stay away.

And so she went. She visited Sasuke every day to clean his wounds and change his bandages and, more importantly, keep him from being entirely alone. Yes, Naruto visited him every day, but if Sakura knew anything, it was that Naruto as a constant companion was enough to drive anyone mad.

And besides – she couldn't give Sasuke up to him again.

Something grew different, however, in their interactions after the first few weeks. Sasuke grew quiet and cold, once again. At first, Sakura despaired over his attitude. After so much progress, was he reverting to his twelve-year-old ways around her?

But no. Now, Sasuke watched her. She had first noticed once, when she asked him if she could get herself a drink of water, and he followed her to the kitchen.

"I'm not going to steal anything, Sasuke-kun," she had said, irritated by his apparent paranoia.

"Hn," was all the response she received. But he didn't take his eyes off her.

At first, this was disconcerting. Then it became reason for Sakura to stand a little straighter, to brush out her hair before visiting Sasuke, to smile a little more fully in his presence.

And then, one day, he asked.

"Why do you still worry about your appearance?"

His voice was flat, expression blank, and yet, there was a spark in his eyes that told her he wasn't happy. Sakura shrunk back from him, pressing back against the bathroom counter, where she had been washing her hands free of blood.

"I don't—"

"I see you from the window, standing outside my door. Naruto told me you had been training hard."

"I _have_," she said. "I healed you, didn't I?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "That isn't very impressive. Is that all you can do?"

"No! I can fight – I've trained under the Hokage, I can _crush—"_ Sakura cut herself off. She didn't need to explain herself to him. A list of her abilities and accomplishments would mean nothing to Sasuke. "I mean… why can't I be strong and try to look pretty at the same time? It doesn't have to be one or the other. I mean, look at you."

Abruptly, Sakura sucked in a breath. She felt her face warm and had to turn away from Sasuke's penetrating black gaze. Somehow, it was so much more embarrassing to tell Sasuke she found him good-looking than it was to tell him she loved him.

Sasuke, for his part, didn't seem to notice the compliment. He didn't reply, and Sakura went on.

"I _have _trained hard, Sasuke. I learned my lesson when you left. I just…" She touched her hair self-consciously. "I don't know. I just want to make myself presentable." When he continued to watch her, silently, she said, "Don't take everything at face value, Sasuke-kun. Okay?" And then, with a brief word of farewell, she brushed past him, down the hallway, and out the door.

-x-

Naruto invited himself along one day, to see Sasuke with her. Sakura didn't protest; Team Seven needed their time together.

When Sasuke opened the door and saw Naruto there, he made to close the door immediately. Naruto elbowed his way in before he could.

"You need to try harder than that to keep _me _out," he said.

"Sorry," Sakura said to Sasuke, "But you know how he is."

"Unfortunately," Sasuke said.

"You're not funny," Naruto said. "That's the thanks I get for bringing your ass home? No gratitude. Even Sakura-chan didn't thank me!"

"Thanks, Naruto," Sakura said, fumbling through her bag.

"A bit late, Sakura-chan. Hey, Sasuke, got anything to eat? I'm starved."

"Go to Ichiraku," Sasuke said. "And don't come back." He was watching Sakura. She didn't notice; Naruto did.

"And leave the two of you alone? No way." He smiled, though it was strained. "Let's go out for lunch! My treat?"

"You're broke," Sakura said, finally looking up. "And I have to heal Sasuke first. Why don't you go on ahead?" Naruto hesitated, and Sakura added, "We won't be long. We'll still end up finishing at the same time, right? Go find Kakashi-sensei, too. And Sai – Sasuke hasn't met him – I mean, on friendly terms – yet."

Naruto brightened. "Yeah, yeah, I'll do that!" With a snicker, he added, "You'll like Sai a _lot_," to Sasuke, who raised an eyebrow. And then he was gone.

The apartment was silent for a long moment. Sasuke studied Sakura as she moved around his apartment, preparing to change his bandages once again, even though he didn't think it was necessary anymore – not that he was going to tell her that.

Finally: "Why are you mad at Naruto?"

"I'm not," Sakura said immediately.

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun." She smiled. "I'm not mad at Naruto."

"_Sakura_," he said again, and she wavered. It was amazing what her name from his lips could do to her.

"Because," she began slowly, then stopped. Then, in a rush: "Because he went and brought you back and _left me here! _He wouldn't tell me he was coming to get you, and he _completely _ignored all the training I went through for you. He doesn't get it!"

"Get what?"

"That _I'm _the one in love with you!" Sakura stepped back from him, tossing away the roll of bandages in her hands. It hit a table, bounced off, and rolled into a corner. It was becoming easier, she noted, to admit how she felt about him in conversation. "You're as much a part of me as you are of him! I did _so much _to help bring you back. And it all came to nothing."

"So you're taking it out on Naruto," Sasuke said, still infuriatingly impassive.

"_Yes_, Sasuke-kun. Because I told him we would bring you back together, and instead he went behind my back to get you by himself. Like I wasn't strong enough to help him!" She took a breath.

"You, of all people, should understand, Sasuke-kun," she went on, imploring him to see her side. Sasuke was the only one who ever did. She remembered the Chuunin Exams, when Sasuke had been the only one to encourage her. "You had a goal, and you betrayed our whole village to fulfill it. I had a goal, too, and it was taken away from me."

"My goal…" Sasuke stood up. "It didn't quite work out, either." Sakura stared up at him, shocked, as he approached her. "I have some idea of how you feel."

"Is there a reason you're being so talkative?" Sakura asked. Her voice broke on the last word, and Sasuke stopped only a few inches from her. Her lip quivered. "I wanted to help."

"I know."

"I couldn't make you stay," she went on. "I let you go. So I wanted to – to prove something, I don't know…" She was shaking now, cheeks blooming red with anger. "To prove that I could bring you back, at least. I wanted to _fight for you_."

She slumped suddenly, peering up at Sasuke through her bangs. "Don't tell Naruto," she said. She offered a wan smile that didn't touch her big, sad eyes. "I'm just being a brat."

Sasuke nodded, waiting silently as she rubbed at her eyes, trying to get herself under control. When she had composed herself, he spoke.

"You didn't _let_ me go."

"No," she agreed. "_You _let _me_ go. But I didn't give you a reason not to, did I?" She stared, hard, at him, and Sasuke could imagine her new resolve, even before she said it:

"I'll give you a reason this time. You won't want to leave again."

Sasuke didn't bother telling her that his leaving had been a matter of necessity, not desire. She would just get the wrong idea.

-x-

"I've killed people," Sasuke said, out of the blue, one day.

Sakura remained blank-faced as she administered the painkiller. "So have I. You don't believe me," she added sourly at his expression. "But I have. When you and Naruto were gone. I went on assassination missions."

"By yourself?"

"No. I wasn't quite that experienced." She shrugged and turned away. "I went with people. Once I was put on Team Gai. Once I went with Kakashi-sensei. I've done the actual assassination myself, though. I know all the vital spots."

When she looked back at Sasuke, she wasn't surprised to see his eyebrows furrowed with disbelief. She smiled.

"I know, you don't believe it. I guess I don't blame you. But, honestly, Sasuke – you don't really know anything about me. Only about as much as I do about you." There was something very lonely about the fact that she knew nothing about the man she had given everything for – something even more painful about the fact that he had no desire to know anything about _her_. Sakura cleared her throat and banished the thought. "But anyway. Why do you bring it up?"

Sasuke just looked at her. Even though her expression was carefully composed, her voice cheerful, her words deceptively casual, Sasuke could see the tension in her muscles, the slight tremor of her fingers. She was bothered by the assassinations, as much as she tried to hide it. It was a part of her job. Sakura knew her job.

"It doesn't bother you?" he asked, ignoring her question. If she didn't know, he wasn't going to tell her. Better for both of them if she didn't figure it out.

She blinked, taken aback. "Why would it matter if it did? Anyway, that's in the past now…" She paused. "It does bother me. Not just that you killed, because that would make me a hypocrite. But I…" Her voice shook; she curled her hands into fists. "I'm not proud of myself for what I did. I just—" She stopped again, turned away. "Naruto's never killed someone. Not yet."

Sasuke wasn't surprised.

Sakura smiled at him again, tight-lipped and weak. "I guess that's the one thing we have in common, isn't it, Sasuke-kun? Is that painkiller working yet?"

And then she was back to business, back to healing. But as she pressed her healing hands to his abdomen – hands that, like his, were covered in blood that would never wash away – Sasuke had to admit, Sakura was right.

He had never thought they would have anything in common – and nothing like a past crime.

Really, he didn't know her at all.

-x-

Tsunade finally let Sasuke see his teammates, but only for a few moments. Then, she informed him, they would be expedited to their respective countries, who would decide what to do with them.

"Sasuke!" Karin exclaimed, as soon as he had entered the guarded stone room. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, and Suigetsu said, "Better without _you_." Karin cursed him, but he ignored her. "I met your teammates, Sasuke."

"So did I," Juugo said. "One of them. She was surprisingly polite, considering…"

"Not to me," Suigetsu said. "She was a bitch. I like her. The blond's okay, too. How did _you_ get along with _them_?"

"They're annoying," Karin said, before Sasuke could reply – not that he would.

"I know," he said wearily. He wasn't here to discuss his teammates.

"So, what's the plan now?" Suigetsu asked, and all eyes turned to Sasuke, wide and expectant.

"No plan," Sasuke said. "Our partnership is over."

Silence. Then:

"But we're in _prison_."

"That's _it?"_

"You're staying home now, Sasuke?" Only Juugo's tone remained even, almost pleasant. Sasuke stared at him for a moment, conscious of the two masked guards watching them. Neither of them were his teammates; the Hokage wouldn't risk that. He wondered how she had ever agreed to let him even meet with them.

He didn't answer Juugo.

"You helped me achieve my goal. I appreciate it."

Suigetsu scoffed. "Not even a _thank you_? Man, Sasuke." He shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you."

"Come with us, Sasuke," Karin said, leaning close and speaking in a low voice. "Why are you returning _here_? We're your teammates too."

Suigetsu snorted. "But we're not the originals," he said. "Right, Sasuke?"

"You helped me capture and kill criminals," Sasuke said, pretending to not have heard. "I've told my Hokage about this. She'll inform your leaders, as well. It's all I could do. The rest is up to you," he added, knowing how Suigetsu, at least, would take it.

That was all that needed to be said. Sasuke turned and left the room. His guard went with him, and another pair of guards disappeared inside, locking the door behind them.

Sakura and Naruto were waiting for him.

"How'd it go?" Naruto asked, after a moment's hesitation. Clearly, he didn't know how to react. "Did you… talk?"

Sasuke nodded.

"Stupid question, Naruto," Sakura said. "Sasuke-kun _never _talks." But she was smiling. "Everything okay?"

Sasuke nodded again, and the three of them began their trek down the hall, to the door of the prison. Sasuke was almost able to ignore the guards trailing behind them. Sakura and Naruto acted as if they weren't even there.

"Wish we could've been in there," Naruto said. "Sakura-chan asked, but the old hag got all pissy."

"Naruto!"

"What?"

"You convinced her to let me see them," Sasuke said. It wasn't a question. Sakura nodded, and he said, "Thank you." Privately, he was impressed by her influence.

Sakura smiled, obviously pleased. "You're welcome, Sasuke-kun."

Naruto regarded them for a moment. When Sasuke met his eyes, he looked away.

-x-

"If we didn't bring you back, would you still be with your other teammates?" Naruto asked, when he visited Sasuke the next day. Sakura hadn't yet arrived.

"Maybe," Sasuke said. Truthfully, he hadn't considered any plans for after his attack on Danzo. He would've gone his own way eventually, however, he knew.

"I just want to know," Naruto said, and his voice was pinched, "Who the replacements were?"

Sasuke stared at him. he didn't answer.

"Was Sai _my _replacement?" he said instead.

"Of course not," Naruto immediately. "_You're _my best friend. _You're _the one Sakura-chan…" He trailed off.

Sasuke didn't press him. "Well then," he said.

Naruto smiled, a bit ruefully, and shook his head. "You never give a straight answer, do you? Wanna go get lunch?"

Sakura would be along soon, so Sasuke refused, and threw in a comment on Naruto's idiocy for old times' sake.

-x-

Sakura wasn't happy to find that Sasuke had reopened the wounds on his stomach. "Naruto," she growled under her breath as soon as she saw the blood. Sasuke didn't bother defending him, or even mentioning that he had given Naruto a black eye before his guard had pulled them away from each other. It was only because it was _Naruto _that Sasuke hadn't gotten in further trouble.

She changed his bandages in silence, and Sasuke wondered what she was thinking. He thought about Naruto's words earlier.

"Do you hate me?" Sasuke asked, and Sakura glanced at him. She was surprised. Questions like this – they just weren't ones Sasuke-kun bothered with. Or so she thought.

But since he _had _asked, she would answer – with the same honestly Sasuke had given her.

"A little." She snipped the end of the bandage, then knotted it neatly. "You did some pretty bad stuff but, well, you're Sasuke-kun. _My _Sasuke-kun." He shot her a look, and she hastened to say, "Not like that. Just… my teammate. The guy I loved. Love." She felt herself flush and cleared her throat. Too much honesty.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He didn't reply, so Sakura said slowly, tentatively, "I hated you because it made me strong enough to bring you back. And I wanted to bring you back because I cared about you. You were right," she added quietly, "Hatred can be as much a source of strength as love."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Do you love me?" he asked. There was no trace of embarrassment in his voice, in his features, even though Sakura felt her face flame at such a straightforward question.

"Yes," she said, no fuss.

"…"

"Why?" she guessed. "Everyone asks me that. Because I can, I guess. I like to think I have a right to love you. and…" She hesitated, then plowed on. "When you first received the Curse Seal, you were in a lot of pain. You held my hand." Sasuke remained blank-faced, and she added, "You probably don't even remember. But it meant a lot to me. it felt like you needed me, the way I needed you. I felt on your level and I thought… that we could work. Maybe." She shrugged awkwardly. "I know it's stupid. But I was only twelve, right? I've grown up."

"And you still love me." Again, no hesitation in his words, no blushing or fumbling.

"Yeah."

"But you've grown up."

"What, you don't want me to love you anymore?" Sakura asked, only half-teasing. Sasuke didn't reply, and she bit her lip. "What's with all the questions, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke shrugged. "My turn" was all he said.

Sakura laughed.

"I still love you, Sasuke-kun," she began, "because I don't know how _not _to anymore."

-x-

"So, guess what?" Sakura said. She was almost bubbling over with excitement. She didn't even give Sasuke the opportunity to guess – not that he would have – before she exclaimed, "Team Seven's getting back together!"

"No missions yet," Naruto said. He was standing beside Sakura, on Sasuke's doorstep. It was evening. She hadn't come that day – hadn't needed to, she said. Sasuke had spent the day alone until the two of them arrived, unannounced. "That's your fault. You suck."

Sakura smacked him on the arm, not looking away from Sasuke. Her eyes were very bright in the weak light coming from behind Sasuke. "We're training together starting next week, though, and that's a start. Just us and Kakashi-sensei!"

"Okay," Sasuke said, because he didn't know what else to say. Then he realized the two of them were still standing on his doorstep, and he stepped back, opening the door wider. "Come in."

Sakura beamed – she was doing a lot of that today – and stepped past him. Sasuke was very aware of the way her arm brushed his chest – most probably unintentionally, though he could never be sure with her – and he stepped back further as Naruto bounded in after her.

There was a plate of sliced tomatoes on the kitchen table, in plain sight, at the end of the hall. Sasuke suddenly felt very awkward, and he didn't know why. He moved to cover the view of his dinner, then told himself he was being ridiculous.

"Let's celebrate!" Naruto said.

"No ramen," Sakura said.

"No ramen," Sasuke said at the same time.

Sakura shot him a look he couldn't quite read. Naruto slumped.

"Fine," he said reluctantly. "Sasuke's choice."

"No," Sasuke said firmly – but Naruto was already ducking past him, down the hall, and into the kitchen.

"Ew, tomatoes," he said, picking up a slice gingerly. He popped it into his mouth and chewed, looking as if he were eating dirt.

"Don't eat it if you don't like it," Sasuke snapped, taking a step towards Naruto and his precious tomatoes.

Naruto swallowed, shuddered, and picked up the plate. "Here, Sakura-chan. you like tomatoes."

Sasuke paused, looking back at her. She shrugged.

"I hated them for a long time. I just started liking them. Naruto," she said irritably, "Stop eating Sasuke's food without permission. It's not polite."

"He'll get over it," Naruto said around another tomato slice. Sasuke had reached his side by now, and he took the plate from him, smacking him upside the head for good measure. Then he held the plate out to Sakura.

She took one tomato, smiling.

In the end, the three of them stayed gathered around Sasuke's kitchen table, eating tomato slices. Sasuke was quiet, though Sakura and Naruto more than made up for it.

"We were supposed to invite Kakashi-sensei along," Sakura said later, as she and Naruto were getting ready to go.

"Next time, Sakura-chan," Naruto promised. "We'll even celebrate _your _way."

Sasuke looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"Star-gazing," she said, looking embarrassed. "I don't know. It's peaceful."

"Sakura-chan doesn't believe in eating," Naruto said. "She's on a diet."

"Naruto!"

Watching the two of them laugh and banter, Sasuke had the strange feeling of not belonging. It was strange, because he hadn't changed, and he had always fit in with them before. Maybe it was them, then. They had changed.

Naruto left, but Sakura hung back for a moment more.

"Now I know why you didn't like my apples, Sasuke-kun. Next time, I'll bring you tomatoes."

"Don't," he said, and her smile faltered. But he didn't need her bringing him freshly-sliced fruit. He was more than capable of feeding himself. Better for her to use her time to train. "Do you bring fruit to anyone else?"

She reddened. "No…"

"Stop trying to make me special, Sakura."

"I don't need to _try_, Sasuke-kun," she said, and then she left. The next day, she brought tomatoes _and _apples.

"Apples are _my _favorite fruit," she said, and he took one.

-x-

"You know how you knocked me out and left me on a park bench?" Sakura asked one day. Sasuke only gave her a very dry look in response, and she looked away. "Right. Not something you forget, I guess…"

She handed him a glass of water and a handful of pills. Sasuke took them without complaint, though his brows pinched in distaste.

"This is… well, really embarrassing. But, well…" She took a breath and carefully avoided Sasuke's expectant gaze. "I always hoped that you had…" She lowered her voice so he had to strain to hear. "Well, kissed me. Before you left. While I was unconscious."

No one said anything for a moment.

Finally, Sakura met Sasuke's gaze. "You didn't, did you?"

"No."

"Didn't think so," she said, cheeks growing hot. "It doesn't really matter. I used to hope you kissed me because… you were gone. It felt like a bit of hope that you'd come back. I don't need that anymore…"

Sasuke stared at her and Sakura realized, with a start, just how much she had admitted.

"I'm glad you're back," she said weakly – and unnecessarily. "Arm out, please."

-x-

Two days after dinner with Naruto and Sakura, the former invited him along to celebrate again, this time with Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke wanted to refuse, but he _had _been spending too much time indoors, so he followed Naruto without protest.

Surprisingly, Naruto only took him to the training grounds.

"It's not like we can leave the village," Naruto said. "And anyway, this is the best spot to watch the stars. Oh, Sakura-chan's already here."

And indeed she was, sitting on the grass in the middle of the field, knees drawn up to her chest, arms looped around her legs, staring up at the sky. She wasn't smiling, didn't even react when Naruto and Sasuke took seats on either side of her.

"You're late," she said.

"So's Kakashi-sensei—"

"I am _not_."

Naruto jumped. Sasuke hid a smirk and turned to see Kakashi draw closer, looking mildly offended. He took a seat behind Sakura, and looked at Sasuke.

"Sasuke."

"Kakashi."

Silence.

Naruto looked between the two of them, then rolled his eyes. "Wow. What a celebration this is."

"Shush, Naruto," Sakura scolded, dropping back to lie in the grass and stare up at the sky. "You know how they are."

"_You're _no better," Naruto grumbled, lying down beside her.

Kakashi pulled out his book, staring down while the other two stared up. Sasuke stared around. At the starlight reflected in Naruto's eyes. At the moonlight spilling over Kakashi's figure, highlighting his masked features. At Sakura, staring back at him.

"Lie down, Sasuke-kun," she said. "I don't bite."

Feeling a strong sense of déjà vu, Sasuke lay back, about a foot away from her. He noted that Naruto was lying so close his elbow was touching hers.

Sasuke stared up at the sky, remembering all the times the four of them had lain like this in the past. Maybe not everything had changed.

When he looked back at his teammates later, Naruto's eyes were closed in sleep, Sakura was smiling blissfully, and Kakashi was looking back at him.

"Training starts soon," he said. "Try not to drag us down." When Sasuke glared, he added, "You _are _still only a Genin, remember. Naruto, too."

"I'm a Chuunin," Sakura piped in, before Sasuke could ask.

And despite the fact that Sasuke hated being a Genin – officially, anyway – and the face that he _knew _he could easily defeat Sakura, anytime, he was proud of her.

She had changed. She had changed a lot, in every way that mattered.

Sakura shifted just slightly – she was trying to be subtle – and shuffled closer to him, close enough that their hands brushed.

Well, every way but one.

Sasuke didn't move away.

-x-

"You're almost fully healed, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said with a bright smile. When Sasuke didn't respond, she added, "You were on the brink of death, Sasuke-kun. Three weeks is an incredible amount of time to heal from that."

Sasuke glanced at her quickly, then resumed glaring at the window. "Hn."

Sakura followed his gaze. She couldn't see anything, but she knew someone was outside. She had a feeling she knew who was there, too.

Sakura looked back at Sasuke. She could guess what he was thinking – what did it matter if he was healed or not when he couldn't _do_ anything? She knew that Sasuke was a private person, and hated any attention – hated it when girls fawned over him, when people gathered around him and tried to be friendly, when people watched over him. Maybe he deserved it, but, Sakura decided, one person was enough.

"I'll be back," she said, and disappeared before Sasuke had time to react.

Sasuke watched her leave the room, and when he turned back to the window, he saw a flash of pink. What was Sakura doing?

She came back a few minutes later, smiling brightly.

"Shikamaru's pretty cool," she said. "I told him I'd keep an eye on you, and he agreed to give you an afternoon of privacy. I know it's not much, but…" She trailed off with a shrug.

"It's fine." Sasuke cleared his throat. "Thank you."

She glanced at him quickly, surprised. Then she smiled.

"Anytime, Sasuke-kun. Just don't do anything bad, or I'll be in a whole mess with Tsunade-sama…"

He nodded. "I know. I won't."

Sakura looked at him for a long moment. Sasuke couldn't tell what she was thinking, couldn't read her expression. It was disconcerting; Sakura, to him, had always been an open book. But the more he questioned her now, the more he learned about her, the harder it became for him to understand her. The more she told him, the less, he realized, he knew.

Finally, she smiled – close-lipped and tentative, and Sasuke wondered what she knew that he didn't.

-x-

It hit him, twenty minutes later. Sakura had stripped off all his bandages, Sasuke was tugging on his shirt, and he realized the opportunity he had nearly allowed to pass him by – the opportunity Sakura, of all people, had, however unknowingly, given him. How had he done that? Sasuke didn't understand it; it had been on his mind for weeks.

He stood as Sakura was turning away to pack away her supplies. It generally took her about twenty minutes to leave him – he suspected she took a few extra minutes cleaning up when she was alone with him – and then she would leave, but Shikamaru would return.

"Sakura," he said, tugging her closer. Startled, she complied, stepping forward so they were toe-to-toe, and stared at him expectantly. Sasuke sighed.

"Sorry," he said, and raised a hand to her neck.

Sakura barely had the opportunity to say his name, to glare at him with all the hurt and anger she was capable of, before she slumped into his waiting arms, unconscious.

Sasuke lay her on the couch, just as he had on that bench before, and stared at her for a long moment. There were no tears this time, just a half-formed accusation on her slightly parted lips. Funny how he always left her last.

He had to cut off all his bonds with her, again. And he had to do it completely this time. No more looking back on this hellhole of a village.

Sasuke curled his hands into fists, then bent down and brushed Sakura's lips with his, just once, for a half-second, before he shot back up and spun around.

And then, before he could change his mind, he was gone.

-x-

Two minutes later, Sakura was up, running shaky fingers through her hair and trying to calm her racing emotions.

He had done it again. She had thought he might. She had hoped she would be proven wrong. But then, Sakura thought bitterly, hope didn't work on Uchiha Sasuke.

She got to her feet, passed a hand over her eyes, took a breath, and set off after him.


	3. Us

Okay! Last chapter. A few warnings: **(1)** this chapter is _long. _10 000 words, twice as long as the last two. But those were each about one person, and this is about two, so you see me logic?; **(2) **this hcapter is really confusing and weird, because Sasuke's confused and Sakura's confused, and the two of them made me confused, and this chapter is sort of trying to bring that out; and **(3) **it's OOC, especially with recent developments in the manga, but I'm ignoring those, because it just ruined the entire plotline. Yay for divergent futures, I guess.

I suggest reading the last two chapters first, because everything is sort of linked. This one refers to little pieces of dialogue from the first two chapters that you might otherwise miss. Also, you know the drill: What did you like, what didn't you, concrit is appreciated, all that jazz.

Also, it's my birthday, and I am old. I love how I write myself fic almost every year.

Anyway. Enjoy!

* * *

**A Highly Contested Topic**

Sakura didn't cry.

She didn't have the need to. She wasn't surprised, and if she was hurt, well, she had been prepared for it. She was angry – _so angry _– and she was sad for Sasuke, that he just _never _learned. But she didn't break. Not this time.

She didn't tell Naruto, either. Didn't tell him to bring Sasuke-kun back for her. This time, if she failed to bring him back, it would all be on her. She would be punished. Naruto would be so disappointed. And Kakashi would think – again – that she wasn't worth it. Wasn't worth his time.

But it was better than letting someone else take her chance. This was her time.

So without a thought, without a word to anyone else, Sakura ran.

-x-

Sakura found Sasuke easily enough. He wasn't far in the forest, just enough to avoid being caught. He hadn't gone as far as she had thought he would have by the time she caught up, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder if he had been waiting for her.

She didn't say anything as she stepped into the small clearing. Trees pressed all around them, but the sky was a cheerful blue right above their heads. Sakura decided that, if she was about to get her heart broken, at least she had some good weather for it.

Sasuke didn't turn to face her as she approached, but Sakura knew he had noticed her. And, indeed, when she stopped, a few feet away, he began to speak, in a low voice.

"Do you remember the Forest of Death?"

Sakura nodded; how could she forget? The look in his eyes, the sound of his voice, the way his muscles had stiffened under her touch as black markings coated his skin – they were engrained into her mind.

"I knew then that if I wanted my revenge I couldn't be anywhere near you," he said, speaking quickly, as if the words were fighting to get out, "Naruto and Kakashi could understand bloodshed, but not you – never you. If I was to fulfill my life's goal, I had to leave you." Sasuke stiffened. He hadn't meant for the words to come out quite like that.

Sakura's throat felt very tight, and when she swallowed, it hurt. "What do I say to that, Sasuke?" she said in a low, rough voice. She kept her eyes on him, waiting for him to turn and meet her gaze. He wouldn't – or couldn't? "You left because of me?" His words left her cold, and she wondered what that even _meant_. Did he care so much about her, or—

Sasuke finally turned, and Sakura looked away – _she_ couldn't meet his gaze this time. "You couldn't have me in your life?"

Sasuke's expression changed for only a heartbeat, smooth emptiness flashing to blank shock and back, so quickly Sakura didn't know if it had been there in the first place.

"You were never supposed to be in my life, Sakura," he corrected quietly. "But I still had you."

"Still _have _me, Sasuke."

The forest fell silent. Even the animals, the trees, the air itself seemed to be waiting for Sasuke to reply. Sakura could her own breaths, hard and fast and in time to her thumping heart, but Sasuke was still. He stared at her and she stared back. He started to take a step closer, then faltered. Hesitated. Sakura stayed where she was, waiting for Sasuke to make the first move towards her – just this once.

Then he dropped his arms to his sides and took a step back, and she knew she had lost him.

Knew there was no way to make him stay.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura began, voice shaking – she had _failed_, she had ruined _everything_, how could she ever face Naruto again? How could she face _herself _again? – "Before you go, answer me one question." He didn't move, and she said, "If you want to pretend you don't care about me at all, why did you kiss me?"

Sasuke jerked his head up and his gaze to hers for a moment, then turned away. "I didn't—" He shook his head. "I don't know."

Sakura sucked in a breath. She had expected him to deny it, or at least try.

"So… would you kiss me again?"

This time when Sasuke met her gaze, his mask was back in place. She was burning with embarrassment and fear, of how he may answer, but Sasuke was as cool and composed as ever.

"No."

Sakura flinched, but Sasuke continued before she could reply. "Aren't you going to try to stop me?"

"Do you want me to?"

"You can't."

"Maybe I can," Sakura said. She hadn't dropped into any sort of battle stance, hadn't even pulled out a weapon. Of course, neither had Sasuke. Still, he didn't need one to stop her. "You don't know that I can't, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke scoffed. "I'm leaving, Sakura, and even you can't stop me."

_Even you_. He had said that, once before. After he had gotten his Curse Seal.

"'Even' me?" Sakura echoed. "Do I hold that much power over you, Sasuke-kun?" She wouldn't look at him, and Sasuke knew that, even now, even against all odds, she was hoping he cared about her more than he did.

"No," he said forcefully, and she flinched, just as he'd known she would. "Go home, Sakura."

"Or what? You'll knock me out and leave me on a bench? You just tried that." She lifted her gaze to his. It was steady, the hurt carefully masked where he could only find it if he looked hard enough. And he did. "It didn't work, Sasuke-kun. If you want me to leave, you'll have to send me back bleeding."

"I can't do that," Sasuke said, before he could stop himself. It had been a lesson beaten into his brain almost from the moment they were put on a team together. Ever since he had opened his eyes to find her weeping over his body. _Protect Sakura_. He couldn't hurt her. Not physically.

But Sakura didn't know that. She stared at him, mouth half-gaping in surprise, before she composed herself and said, "Then come back home with me. _Please_."

"No," he said. "It's not my home."

"It _is. _You lived in Konoha for so long, and—"

"I _hate _Konoha."

Sakura faltered, searching for words. Finally, she began, "Sasuke-kun…"

"Don't," he said, holding up a hand. "Konoha isn't my home anymore. It destroyed my family." At her expression, he added, "I can't hurt you, or even Naruto, and I won't hurt innocents. I promised that. But I can't live there anymore. I don't belong in Konoha – or with you."

Green eyes widened, and Sakura lurched forward. "Sasuke-kun, what do you—"

"Go back to Team Seven. You have Sai now. You don't need me."

"I'll _always _need you. Not just me. Naruto—"

"Naruto has you," Sasuke said, and Sakura looked away. "Go home, Sakura."

"If you had wanted me to go home, you wouldn't have waited here for me," Sakura said. "What if someone else had caught you?"

"They wouldn't."

"And if they _had_?" Sasuke glared at the ground, and so Sakura didn't press him. "The last time you did this, I threatened to scream. What would you do if I screamed this time."?

"No one would hear you."

"You underestimate our village. If they heard me, and if they came, what would you do?"

Sasuke met her gaze coolly. "Whatever I needed to do," he said, only half-honest.

"What happened to _my _Sasuke-kun?" Sakura said, looking him straight in the eye. "What happened to the boy who laid me on a bench and encouraged me before the Chuunin exams? What happened to the boy _who needed me to hold his hand?"_

Sasuke didn't reply. Sakura waited a moment, then sighed, dropping her hands from her hips. She leveled Sasuke a long, measuring look that made something inside him twist, and then she turned and began to walk away, leaving Sasuke staring after her.

"Sak—" he started, not knowing what he planned to say or why, indeed, he was calling after her, after he had spent so long trying to get rid of her, when she spun abruptly on her heel, ten feet away.

"Sasuke-kun," she said, and now Sasuke noticed she was pulling on her gloves, "I want you to fight me." At his expression, she added, "Sudden death. First to draw blood wins. If you beat me, you can leave, and I won't try to stop you."

Sasuke hesitated for a moment. Then Sakura rushed him, and his instincts took over, Sharingan flashing on.

She struck him first, in the abdomen, but there was a poof, and a log hit the hard earth with a muted thud. Then he was behind her, and Sakura ducked and rolled on instinct, as the grass under her burst into flame. She threw a kunai, he dodged. He threw a shuriken, she blocked. And on it went.

And then Sasuke had grabbed her arm and pinned her roughly to a tree. Her cheek was pressing into the bark, but Sakura didn't struggle or disappear, and he brought his hand up to the base of her neck—

And suddenly she was on him, one foot planted firmly on his chest as Sasuke lay on the ground, staring up at her in frustrated bewilderment. She smiled when she noticed, even as she was drawing a kunai.

"Do you know why I beat you, Sasuke-kun?" she asked conversationally. "It wasn't because I'm stronger than you. I'm not. I know I'm not. It's because I respect you enough to acknowledge that you're skilled that I could beat you." She kneeled, still pinning him with her knee, now. Sasuke didn't struggle, though he didn't think he would be able to break her hold anyway. He was listening, intently, to what she was saying.

"You _couldn't _cut me, could you, Sasuke-kun? Your first instinct was to knock me out – again." And now she frowned, pinning him with her gaze. "Don't you think I learned from the first time, Sasuke?" she asked, dropping her voice. "You didn't knock me out earlier. You didn't even surprise me. And why? Because I know at least one thing about you, and that's that you can't hurt me," she added, somewhat bitterly, which Sasuke didn't understand.

And in a flash, their roles were reversed, and Sakura was flat on her back, Sasuke holding her down with a hand pinning each wrist to the ground. His face was very close to hers when he spoke.

"I can hurt you," he said, and Sakura felt cold metal sliding softly against the inside of her wrist. She shivered, and noticed her kunai in Sasuke's hand, held between his palm and the back of her hand. As she watched, he pressed the handle deeper, though the blade wasn't in deep enough to draw blood. Yet.

"Then do it," she said, defiantly. "Give me a reason to _finally _hate you."

Sasuke stared at her for a long moment, and Sakura knew she could break away from him. But she didn't.

And then he was off her, and Sakura saw the glint of metal, and then she smelled blood. But it wasn't hers.

Sasuke tossed the blood-stained kunai at her feet, not bothering to wipe the blood flowing from his arm. Sakura stared at him, baffled. Then he looked away, eyes tight with pain, and she snapped back into motion.

"Why would you _do _that?" she demanded, getting to her feet and pulling Sasuke towards her. He didn't resist, though he stubbornly avoided her gaze.

"Why didn't _you _fight out of my hold?" he shot back. Sakura faltered and then, without replying, began to heal the gash on his forearm. "You won. Take me back to Konoha," he said.

Sakura shook her head. "I didn't draw your blood. _You _did – probably because you couldn't take mine," she added. "And I never said I'd take you back if I won," she told him, rocking back on her heels. His arm was healed, but she didn't let go. "I have no intention of taking you anywhere. Naruto tried to bring you back by force, and that clearly didn't work. I want you back – but only if _you _want to be back." Sakura squeezed his hand and dropped it, stepping back.

Sasuke stayed still, watching her walk away. His arm throbbed, and he wondered just what had possessed him to cut himself so deep.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said suddenly, coming to a halt. Her back was to him. She was wide-open. "If I had asked you this time to take me with you, what would you say?"

Sasuke was silent for a long moment, and Sakura held her breath, waiting for him to reply. And just as she was wondering if it wouldn't come, there was a rustle behind her, and the softest brush of air against her back, and then Sasuke's voice, right by her ear and yet somehow so distant, made Sakura stiffen in shock.

"Yes."

She closed her eyes for a moment, clenched her jaw, and turned, careful to step back until they weren't touching. "Now I wish I hadn't asked," she said, "Because this time, I don't want to go with you."

Sasuke's expression didn't change, but Sakura noticed him flick his gaze away from her, only for a split-second. Then his eyes met hers again, steady and piercing.

"I can't go back," he said quietly.

"Why _not_?" she demanded. Then she took a breath, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Sorry. I'm sorry. But, Sasuke-kun—"

"I never planned to return to Konoha," he said, not looking at her. He had never told anyone this. "And… especially now, with everything I learned—" He met her gaze again, and Sakura was struck by the vulnerability in his so-dark eyes—"I can't."

Sakura licked her lips. Her hands were shaking, and she clasped them behind her back so Sasuke couldn't see. "What do I say to that, Sasuke-kun?" she asked. "Have I – have _we _just wasted the past three years?"

Sasuke wanted to tell her no. He wanted to say that she had clearly done something, had gotten stronger, had matured. Instead, he said: "Yes."

Pain flashed across Sakura's features. "There's nothing worthwhile in Konoha? Nothing that would make you want to stay?"

He knew what she was hoping for. She was hoping he would tell her that _she _was worth it, and Sasuke didn't want to crush that hope. But he couldn't lie to her. If she asked, he would take her with him, but he couldn't stay for her.

Sakura saw Sasuke waver, and she pressed, "If not me, what about Naruto?" Sasuke didn't reply, and she swallowed, hard, hating herself for having to depend on him even now. "I know you care about him, at least."

"Sakura…" He looked down at her, and Sakura suddenly noticed how close they were. When had she moved? When had _he_? "I thought you were going to let me go."

Immediately, Sasuke regretted his words. Sakura jerked back, eyes wide.

"You're right," she said, thinking about everyone she had let down. Everyone who would never forgive her. What was the point of going back? "You're right," she repeated. "Naruto will be waiting for me. We were going to have dinner together tonight. The three of us." She swallowed, turning away. There was a lump in her throat and tears were blurring her vision. She didn't want Sasuke to see her like that.

He was silent and unmoving behind her, and Sakura whispered, so her voice wouldn't break, "Just answer me one more question," she said. Inside, her mind screamed at her to _shut up_, but she had to ask, even if it broke her: "Why was Naruto enough to bring you back where I wasn't?"

And then, suddenly, Sakura was slammed up against a tree and Sasuke's mouth was on hers. She had no time to be surprised, only react, as if she had been waiting for this all along – and maybe she had.

Sakura pushed up on tiptoe to lean as far into his touch as she could, lacing the fingers of one hand deep into his dark, soft hair and curling the fingers of the other hand into the collar of his shirt. Sasuke's hands were firm on her waist, supporting her, but not roaming. His nails dug into her flesh through her shirt, but Sakura barely noticed. Only when he pulled away from her, yanking his hands back as if she burned him, did Sakura notice how tightly he had been holding her.

Sasuke was breathing hard, looking as shocked as Sakura felt. She touched her lips, stunned, as his fingers tracked her movement.

"I hope you didn't do that when Naruto brought you back," she said, to break the silence. Sasuke didn't look amused, and Sakura shifted, suddenly very aware of how she was still being supported by the tree behind her. She straightened and hoped Sasuke didn't notice her knees shaking.

Sasuke turned away from her, and Sakura's heart thudded in her chest as she realized he was going to leave. How could she let him go now?

"Sasuke," she said, before he could move, and Sasuke stiffened, not turning. She closed her eyes so she couldn't see him leave her _again_. "You're welcome."

When Sakura opened her eyes again, Sasuke was gone.

-x-

There was a voice in the back of Sasuke's mind, asking him what the hell he thought he was doing, leaving his home again.

There was an even louder voice, closer to the fore, asking him what he thought he was doing, leaving Sakura to deal with the mess. At least last time, she hadn't had to deal with the backlash. It hadn't been her fault. She had been weak, she had been young and irresponsible, she had, most importantly, been unconscious.

Only a mile behind him, she was probably still waiting, bracing herself for everything that was to come.

If there was one thing Sasuke didn't believe in, it was letting someone else take responsibility for his actions. But there was nothing to be done for it. If Sakura had only asked – he had, on some level, been expecting her to ask – for him to take her with him, he would have agreed, no question. It wasn't about wanting her there. It was about knowing that it would've been the best option for both of them.

But with every leap he took, getting further and further away from Konoha, Sasuke's belief that he was doing the right thing grew stronger. Maybe, if he had returned a few months ago, he could have stayed. Maybe he could have gone back. Maybe things could have been different.

But they weren't.

So Sasuke didn't turn back.

-x-

It became clear soon enough that Sasuke wasn't coming back. Not that Sakura had really expected him to.

She had hoped he would, of course. She had settled in beneath the low, leafy branches of a copse of trees to wait, back against a thick trunk and eyes closed. Maybe she had just been putting off the inevitable.

Because, of course, Sasuke didn't return.

And so, as the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, Sakura stood, brushed the dirt from her skirt, and wiped away the tears she didn't remember shedding. Then she turned towards her home – the opposite direction from the one Sasuke had taken and took a deep breath.

She had to keep moving forward.

-x-

She told Shikamaru first. It was only fair that he knew how she had messed things up for the both of them, and anyway, he had been waiting when she returned to Sasuke's house, just as she had been expecting him to.

Shikamaru hadn't been happy, but he hadn't taken it out on her. For that, Sakura was grateful, even though she knew she deserved it.

"I'll tell shishou it wasn't your fault," Sakura said. "I'm so sorry, Shikamaru."

She was shaking, and Shikamaru laid a supportive hand on her shoulder, gaze turning concerned.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "We can get him back." When she didn't look convinced, only pressed a hand to mouth to stifle her sobs, he added, "We know he hasn't betrayed the village this time, at least. It wasn't your fault, Sakura. It _wasn't_."

Sakura forced herself to be calm and, once she was sure she had her emotions in control, she said, "But Shikamaru – this isn't the first time I've let him go."

Shikamaru didn't say anything, and Sakura didn't want to make him uncomfortable, so she didn't continue.

_Why can I never make him stay?_

-x-

Sakura respected Shikamaru, because he respected her. He took her to Tsunade's office, interrupting a meeting between her and Kakashi, and then, to her relief, asked to speak to her in private.

Kakashi-sensei excused himself lightly, but shot Sakura an intent, confused look as he passed. Sakura determinedly avoided his gaze. She wasn't looking forward to telling him that she had let him down – again.

When the door had closed behind them, Shikamaru cleared his throat and stepped forward, but Tsunade held up a hand to silence him. She was staring hard at Sakura.

Sakura's lower lip trembled, and she looked away. She had never done anything to let her shishou done before. And definitely never anything as bad as _this_.

Tsunade sighed. "What happened," she said flatly.

Shikamaru glanced at Sakura, then opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura spoke before he could.

"It was my fault," she said. Her voice shook, and she cleared her throat. "I asked Shikamaru to leave. I thought – I thought I could trust Sasuke-ku—_Sasuke _to stay. I didn't think he would leave again, and I couldn't stop him."

Tsunade took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. Sakura could almost see her internal debate with herself: affection and understanding for her student warring with her anger over Sasuke.

Finally, she met Sakura's eyes again.

"This is serious, Sakura. By sending Shikamaru away, you took away Sasuke's main guard. If you hadn't, he wouldn't have been able to leave." Tsunade rubbed the bridge of her nose, looking tired. "You have a history with Sasuke, and I'm sure you know how bad that looks for you. I'm not saying I think you helped him escape," Tsunade added, catching sight of her expression. "But people will talk. Do you understand that?"

"Yes," she whispered, looking deathly afraid. Shikamaru made a soft noise behind her, and Tsunade shifted her gaze to him for a moment, then back to Sakura.

"But," she said, and Sakura looked up hopefully, "It's not entirely your fault. You _are _just a Chuunin – there was another guard, a Jounin, stationed outside the Uchiha grounds, and there were guards at the village gates. If he could get past them, Shikamaru wouldn't have made a difference."

Sakura didn't reply. She had made it past them all, too. Just a Chuunin.

"Sakura, I'm going to be honest with you," Tsunade said, putting a hand to her head and looking pained. "You're going to be in trouble, a lot of trouble. People will spread rumors. Things are going to be very hard for you now.

"But," she continued. "I have faith in you. I'm disappointed in you, yes. You let your feelings get in the way of your duty. But Shikamaru let you," she added, shooting him a sour look. Sakura made to protest, but Tsunade cut her off. "I'll have to punish you, not just for the village, but for your sake, too. I'm putting you on probation for three months."

Sakura went cold. Numbly, she nodded. What else could she do?

Tsunade gave her a long, measuring look, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Sakura. But if you can't leave the village, the rumors will eventually die out. You understand, don't you?"

Sakura nodded again.

"You're dismissed," Tsunade said softly.

Sakura turned to leave. She caught Shikamaru's eye as she was heading for the door. He looked sympathetic. Her gut twisted at the kind look in his eyes – one she had never earned from her teammates – and Sakura lurched out the door, wanting – needing – to get away.

Kakashi was standing outside.

"Kakashi-sensei—" Sakura began, needing to explain, but Kakashi held up a hand.

"It's alright, Sakura. One person can't stop Sasuke alone," he said, lone visible eye crinkling into a reassuring smile. "I do wish you had told us, though. That's what teamwork is all about."

Sakura stiffened as Kakashi reached out to pat her on the head, as if she was twelve again.

"I know," she said, voice hollow, "I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei."

-x-

Naruto was the worst. When Sakura met him for dinner, he wouldn't even look up from his untouched bowl of ramen.

"Naruto, I'm so sorry," Sakura said, as soon as she saw his expression and realized that he already knew what she had let happen.

"It's not your fault, Sakura-chan," he said, not looking up from his bowl. His voice was hollow, and Sakura's gut twisted. "When Sasuke wants to leave, no one can stop him."

Sakura swallowed past the lump in her throat and opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Naruto looked up.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," he said, trying to smile, "I'll bring him back. I promise."

He had the best intentions, and yet, as Sakura sat beside Naruto and ordered him a fresh bowl of ramen, she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

No wonder Naruto had no faith in her.

-x-

Sakura hoped that, wherever he was, Sasuke was happy. She didn't see how he could be, all alone as he was, but she liked to think that he had left them for _some _reason.

She didn't see Naruto or Kakashi-sensei much anymore. She couldn't go on missions, and Naruto seemed always to be on one. And even when she went looking for Kakashi-sensei, she couldn't find him.

She wondered if they were avoiding her, and missed Sasuke even more. He had held the four of them together, but now, they were more broken than ever.

At least before, they could train, could do _something _to bring Sasuke back. But what could they do now? Could they ever be together again?

The answer was too painful to think about.

-x-

Sakura couldn't even go to the market without people staring at her, talking about her. She didn't pretend not to hear, but she pretended not to care.

It hurt, though, when she picked up a tomato to examine it, and the buzzing started up again. Maybe it was better for Sasuke that he had left. If he had stayed, he would have been subject to this same suspicion.

Sakura walked through the streets on her way home, bag of groceries hanging from one arm as she strolled along, head held high. She couldn't break down in front of everyone. That would get her nowhere.

"Forehead-girl!"

Sakura turned, and there was Ino, standing outside her family's flower shop, arms full of red roses. Sakura hadn't even realized she had been passing by the shop. How distracted was she lately?

Sakura raised a hand in greeting, lips curving in a half-hearted smile. Ino called her over, so, biting back a sigh, Sakura changed course and headed towards her.

Ino's eyebrows were furrowed in concern when she saw Sakura's tired face. "Are you okay, Sakura?"

"I'm fine," Sakura said automatically, shifting her bag from one arm to the other. "How are you?"

Ino just stared at her. "Don't even try that on me," she snapped. "You're clearly _not _okay. You don't think I can see that?" Then her gaze softened. "Talk to me, Sakura. I'm worried about you."

Sakura pressed her lips together, trying not to let the weight of the last few weeks – the accusing gazes, the whispers, the knowledge that _everyone_, even Naruto, even Kakashi-sensei, was judging her – crush her. But then she looked up and Saw Ino watching her, all concern and absolute _faith _and she felt herself crumble.

"No," she said, voice breaking. "Ino…"

Wordlessly, Ino shifted his roses to one arm and drew Sakura into an embrace with the other. Sakura let her, resting her head on Ino's shoulder and smelling her soft, vanilla scent. Ino rubbed her back in smooth circles, and Sakura closed her eyes. "They all think I helped him leave," she whispered.

"That's stupid, and we all know it," Ino said bluntly. "And that's all that matters. Naruto knows you would never do that."

"Naruto thinks I wasn't strong enough to keep him here," Sakura said, then regretted it when Ino pulled away, staring down at her.

"No, he doesn't," Ino said. When Sakura didn't reply, she added, "Sakura… you don't really think—"

"Forget it, Ino," Sakura said abruptly, pulling back. "I'm just—I'm tired. I'm sorry, I need to – I need to go…"

"Okay," Ino said reluctantly. "But…. Here, have one," she said, holding out a perfect rose to Sakura. "Be careful, thorns. It's on me. Take it," she added, when Sakura didn't move.

Sakura reached out to take the rose, smiling a little. "Thanks," she said. "We'll talk soon, okay?" She didn't wait for a reply, only spun around and headed home at a fast pace, not wanting to see anyone. She needed to get home—

And when she did, the first thing Sakura did, after sliding down the front door to collapse in a heap on the floor, was pull the bag of groceries onto her lap and pull out a round, ruby red tomato and sink her teeth into it.

Juice dribbled down her chin, mixing with the tears coursing down her cheeks. It was too much. Losing Sasuke again was hard enough. But this… this was intolerable.

She winced suddenly, and looked down at the hand holding the rose. Her fingers were bleeding. She had caught them on the thorns.

Sakura pulled the rose and the tomato closer to her, curled up, and let herself cry.

-x-

Sakura woke up to thumping behind her, and she blinked, sitting up. She was surprised to find herself still on the floor by her front door. The half-eaten tomato was squashed, spilling juice over her fingers, and the rose was lying, crushed, beneath her bag of groceries.

The thumping continued and Sakura yawned, getting to her feet. She smoothed out her clothes and finger-combed her hair before opening the door.

Naruto was standing on her doorstep, and as soon as he saw her face, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.

Surprised, Sakura stiffened. "Naruto, what—"

"Ino talked to me," he said into her hair, voice muffled. "Actually, she yelled at me. I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I don't blame you. I'm sorry I wasn't here with you. I'm sorry…"

Sakura realized he was shaking, and she softened, returning the embrace. "It's okay, Naruto. It's okay…"

"It's _not_," he pulled away to stare down at her, still holding her by the shoulders. He looked stricken, eyes wet with remorse. "I'm a bad teammate. I'm always so focused on Sasuke that I forget the one who's still here."

Sakura smiled. "We've all done it. It's okay."

And when Naruto smiled back at her, she actually believed it.

"I'm looking for him," Naruto said. "While you're on probation. I'll find him, and we'll bring him back. I promise." He flashed her a thumbs-up, and Sakura remembered the last time they had done this. She wasn't going to fall apart again.

She straightened, lifted her chin, and looked Naruto in the eye. "We will. _I _promise."

-x-

Two months had already gone by when Sasuke saw Naruto again. He stormed right into his tiny, rundown apartment in Amegakure on a rainy day, shattering a window and scuffing the floor. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him, even as he slipped, instinctively, into a defensive stance.

Naruto stayed right where he was, by the window, not seeming to notice the rain pattering through the window and onto his back and arms. He looked angry – and maybe a little hurt. Sasuke waited for the pleading to start.

It didn't.

"Sakura-chan doesn't smile anymore," was all Naruto said.

Sasuke blinked, unconsciously straightening and letting down his guard. He hadn't been expecting that. "What?"

"Sakura-chan doesn't smile anymore," Naruto repeated. "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything," Sasuke said. but he hesitated, and Naruto caught it.

"Don't lie to me," he snarled. "It isn't like the last time you left. Sakura-chan is _unhappy_. She won't smile, she won't laugh. She just works all day. I barely see her anymore. You _broke _her."

Sasuke frowned. "I didn't. Sakura isn't that weak."

Naruto looked surprised. Then he seemed to remember himself, and resumed glaring at Sasuke. "You don't know what she's going through back home," Naruto said, and Sasuke braced himself. "Ever since you left – _again _– while she was with you, everyone's suspicious of her. everyone _blames _her."

Naruto moved so quickly Sasuke didn't have time to react, and suddenly, he was being pinned to the wall, one large, tanned hand around his throat. Naruto's eyes were blazing, flashing with fury.

"Why did you leave _again_, Sasuke? After _everything _we went through to bring you back? What the hell do you _have _here?!"

Sasuke didn't reply, didn't even move to free himself from Naruto's hold. Instead he looked around unseeingly at his apartment. His small, lonely apartment. His pathetic existence, always wary of getting caught. He couldn't even be a ninja anymore. What _was _he doing here?

Naruto stepped away, looking appalled. His eyes were back to their normal bright, cheerful blue.

"Sasuke…" he began, backing away. "I'm sorry. I – I didn't mean to do that. Sasuke…"

Sasuke held up a hand to cut him off and cleared his throat. "I deserved it." He was willing to admit that much.

"Come back, Sasuke. please. We need you. Sakura-chan needs you. I promise I won't let them do anything to you—"

"No."

Naruto looked like Sasuke had just slapped him. "'No'…?" he echoed faintly. "What do you _mean_, 'no'? did you even _hear _what I—"

"I heard," Sasuke said, heading toward the window and crouching down to scoop of the shards of glass littering the floor. "And I'm not going anywhere." He looked up at Naruto. "I'm staying right here. You can tell Sakura that."

Naruto's expression cleared. "Right here," he said.

Sasuke nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

Naruto stared at him for a long moment, then blew out a breath, shaking his head. "You can't ever say things straight, can you?" he said. "Okay. I'll tell her."

Sasuke nodded again as Naruto passed him, headed for the window again, and he turned to face him.

"You know what I've noticed?" he asked, then continued, before Sasuke could reply (not that he would have), "You won't thank anyone but Sakura-chan. Why do you think that is?"

Sasuke was silent.

"Yeah," Naruto said. "Think about that. I want you to give her the answer."

"Naruto—"

Naruto was the one to hold up a hand this time, and Sasuke fell silent. "It's okay," he said, though his voice was strained, "I always knew I didn't stand a chance. Just… don't blow yours, okay?"

And then he was gone.

-x-

"Sakura-chan. wake up."

Sakura groaned, rolled over, and opened her eyes, squinting through the dark at the figure by her bed.

"Naruto…?" She yawned. "What are you doing here?"

"Breaking you out," he said, and Sakura finally noticed how hard he was breathing. "I found Sasuke."

Suddenly awake, Sakura sat up. "What?" She rubbed her eyes, trying to kick her brain into gear. "Where is he? You didn't bring him back with you?"

"He didn't want to come," Naruto said, perching on the edge of her bed. "Sakura-chan," he went on, gently, wonderingly, "I think he wants you to bring him back."

Sakura's mouth went dry. "I can't," she heard herself say. "You know I can't. I'm on probation, Naruto. I can't leave—"

"Maybe not _legally_," he cut in, and Sakura could almost see the mischievous look in his eyes.

She swallowed. "I don't think I can." She had never done anything illegal. Sakura just wasn't the type.

"You _have _to, Sakura-chan. Sasuke's waiting." When she didn't answer, Naruto found her hand and squeezed it. "I promise I won't let you get caught."

Sakura found herself leaning forward, already persuaded. Then she paused. "Why does he want _me _to bring him back? I tried already, remember?"

"I won't pretend to understand how Sasuke's mind works," Naruto said, sounding more like his old self, before Naruto had left again, "And I don't even really want to. But I think he finally realized what I told you so long ago: you're _his _favorite, too."

He sounded a little sad when he said that, and Sakura closed her eyes. "Naruto…"

"Hurry, Sakura-chan," he said, getting to his feet. "We don't have much time."

-x-

Sakura's hair was longer. Not as long as it had been when they first formed their team, but reaching almost to her shoulders. She looked tired, and older, somehow, and when Sasuke saw her, something inside of him twisted. Not in sadness or excitement, but in a sort of longing, which he didn't quite understand.

He had spent the last two months thinking about Sakura, and regretting leaving her behind in what he _knew _would be a bad situation, and one he had caused. If he could only have left when she wasn't around, if she had only _stayed _unconscious – he wouldn't have felt so guilty.

Maybe if Naruto hadn't appeared in his home, he wouldn't have felt guilty at all.

But he _had _left when Sakura was watching him, she _hadn't _stayed unconscious, and Naruto _had _appeared to drive the knife deeper.

So, before he could stop himself, Sasuke came up behind where she stood in front of his door and said her name.

Sakura jumped and whirled around, hand flying to her chest. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. Hadn't she sensed him approaching?

"Sasuke-kun!" Her eyes grew very wide as she took him in. "You're… you're here."

"Yeah." Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, and nodded towards his front door. "Come inside," he said, not knowing what he hoped to accomplish by this. He still didn't know why he had told Naruto to bring Sakura to him. it made no sense to Sasuke.

"Naruto's here," Sakura said quietly, following Sasuke to the door. "Should I call him here…?"

"Do what you want," Sasuke said, unlocking the door and pushing it open.

Sakura stepped through, arm brushing his. She looked around the apartment as Sasuke locked them both in.

It wasn't a big apartment. One room, with a tiny kitchen to one side and a futon shoved in the corner. It was dirty and ugly and mostly empty. There was little furniture, and no decorations. Just a plate of tomatoes on the counter, and a picture on the stand beside his bed.

Sakura turned slowly and met Sasuke's gaze. "This is where you live now," she said.

Sasuke nodded.

"And is this better than Konoha?" she asked. When Sasuke didn't reply, she pursed her lips, stepping further into the apartment, taking everything in. Where Sasuke lived now. Where he slept and ate and _was_. What he had left them for.

"I guess I couldn't give you a reason to stay," she said. she wouldn't look at him now, but Sasuke could see her lower lip trembling, and the sight made him hesitate for a moment, before he took a breath and spoke.

"Do you hate me?"

"Sasuke-kun—" Her voice broke on the suffix, and Sasuke saw her curl her hands into fists. As if she was going to raise a hand against him. Neither of them could hurt the other; even he had realized that by now.

"Answer me."

"We went over this—"

"_Sakura."_ And she finally looked up, eyes dry, but shining with sadness.

"No," she whispered.

Sasuke took a step closer. "Do you love me?"

He was staring at her so intently, she couldn't look away, much as she wanted to turn, to run, to be _anywhere _but there, in front of him, at that moment. Why wouldn't Sasuke just _leave her alone?_

"Yes," she said, so softly he wouldn't have heard her if he hadn't known what she would say.

"Why?" He was right in front of her now, only half a foot away, and she looked distinctly uneasy.

"Because I don't know how not to anymore," she said. "And I don't want to learn."

Sasuke turned away sharply, curling his hands into fists. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Stop, Sakura—"

"Why _should _I?" she cut in angrily. "What gives you any right to tell me what to do? You have _nothing _on me, Sasuke!" She was quiet for a moment, blazing with fury. Then, suddenly, she slumped. "Come back, Sasuke-kun. Please. Everything will be okay—"

Sasuke didn't reply, and Sakura fell silent, staring at him.

"You know, maybe it was a good thing you hadn't kissed me before you left the first time," Sakura told him honestly. "Because it was so much harder to let you go this time."

"…Hn."

They were silent for a moment, Sakura staring thoughtfully at Sasuke, and Sasuke pretending to look anywhere but her.

Sakura sighed. "Sasuke-kun," she said quietly, "Why did you kiss me?" When he didn't look at her, she clarified, feeling oddly pleased that she had to: "When you knocked me out – or thought you had – I mean."

"I don't know," Sasuke said irritably. Hadn't they gone over this?

"You _do _know, Sasuke-kun," she said, drawing closer. "You never do anything without a reason, even if it's a stupid one."

"Because you wanted me to," Sasuke said, still keeping his head turned stubbornly away. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura halt, three feet away, looking decidedly unimpressed.

"How would I have ever known?" she demanded. "You thought I was unconscious, remember?"

She had him there.

"And why did you kiss me again, after that?" she went on. "You had told me you wouldn't."

Sasuke didn't answer.

"Look at me, Sasuke."

So he lifted his head, glare already fixed in place. He was a bit surprised to see Sakura standing before him, her own eyes narrowed in frustration. She was so close, their clothes were brushing together, but Sasuke didn't be the one to back away first.

"You want to know what I think, Sasuke-kun?" she said, lifting her chin to stare him straight in the eye. "I think you _wanted _to kiss me."

"You're wrong," Sasuke bit out before he could stop himself. Sakura didn't flinch away, and he repeated himself, less forcefully this time: "You're wrong."

"No," she said, shaking her head, "I'm not. I've been waiting all my life to kiss you, Sasuke-kun, and in one day, you kissed me twice. That's a lot of kissing if you don't even like someone."

Frustrated, Sasuke stepped back and turned his back on her, not caring that he had been the first to turn away. "Just shut up, Sakura."

"Make me, Sasuke-kun."

Something snapped, and before he could stop himself, Sasuke was on her, pressing her into the mattress of his bed, hands heavy on her shoulders, pinning her down. His Sharingan had flashed on, and he had one knee between her legs, but Sakura didn't look afraid.

"Go ahead, Sasuke-kun," she said evenly. "Prove me right."

He made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat and moved to roll off her, but then Sakura had wiggled out of his hold and snaked out a hand to press down firmly on the back of his neck, brought his face down to hers, and kissed him, full on the mouth.

This time was different. This time, Sasuke wasn't the least bit aware of what he was doing. Before, when he had kissed her, he had been so careful not to touch her too much, though when he had broken the kiss had he noticed how tightly he had been holding on to her. He had lost his senses to some level before, but that was nothing compared to now.

There was skin everywhere. Skin, and Sakura. There was a draft against his back, and her hands pressing on his bare chest. Sasuke's hands were – where were his hands? Sakura gasped, and Sasuke yanked his hands away from her chest – but then they were in her hair, angling her head back so he could kiss her more deeply and—

Sakura pulled away first, and Sasuke blinked to shake himself out of his daze. Then he looked around them, surprised to see Sakura sitting in his lap, both their shirts off. Her hands were on his shoulders; his were on her hips, dangerously close to the line of her skirt. He yanked his hands away, shocked, and met her eyes. She stared at him for a moment, gaze steady, even. Calculating. She seemed to be waiting for something, but Sasuke didn't know what. Finally, she broke their gaze.

Silently, Sakura slipped off his lap and onto her feet. She didn't look at Sasuke as she bent for her shirt, and Sasuke looked away, uncomfortable, as she pulled it on.

"My only question, Sasuke-kun," she said, voice shaking, "is why you won't come back and make this easier for all of us."

Sasuke was silent. When Sakura didn't continue, he turned to look at her. She was staring down at the picture on his bedside table, hands clasped to her chest, lips pressed tightly together.

"Why do you keep our picture with you if you don't care anymore?" she said quietly.

Sasuke remained silent. What could he say?

"I'm tired of going back and forth like this, Sasuke-kun. Answer me!" She turned, tossing Sasuke's shirt at him, hard. He caught it, but didn't move to pull it on.

"Why did you tell Naruto to bring me here if you didn't want to come back with me?" she asked, voice rising. "Was it for _this_? Do you want me to stay here with you? Dammit, Sasuke, _answer me_!"

Sasuke pulled on his shirt, then lifted his gaze to stare her right in the eye. She was breathing hard, chest rising and falling. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were dark with anger.

"I hadn't planned on leaving. Not then, at least," Sasuke told her quietly.

Sakura stiffened. Her mouth was open, green eyes wide with betrayal. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. The silence was thick between them until she broke it.

"Then why _did _you?"

"I don't know—"

"You _do _know! You _always _know. _Why_, Sasuke? What did we do wrong? _Why couldn't we make you stay?"_

Sasuke didn't answer. He couldn't.

Sakura didn't need him to. She continued: "Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, me… we would've done _anything _for you. Naruto would die for you. I would've turned my back on my home for you. Just for _you_." She buried her hands in her hair, squeezing her eyes shut. "How is it _possible_, Sasuke-kun, for us to love you _so much _when you don't care enough about us to _stay _with us?"

She opened her eyes, and they were dark with fury. "You _broke our team, _Sasuke-kun. You broke _us_."

And then, as if she couldn't stand to look at him anymore, Sakura whipped around to leave.

"Sakura," Sasuke said.

She didn't stop, didn't even falter.

"_Sakura_," he pressed."

Still she didn't hesitate. She was at the door now.

"_Sakura—"_

"You're really," she said, voice catching, "Really _annoying_, Sasuke-kun."

And then she was gone.

-x-

Sakura didn't know what Sasuke wanted anymore. But when she had met up with Naruto, at the border to Amegakure, she found she didn't – couldn't – care anymore.

"He didn't come back," Naruto had asked, looking shocked. "I really thought he would this time…"

"Yeah, well." Sakura cleared her throat. "He didn't. And Naruto, I don't think we can do this anymore. Sasuke-kun knows what he wants. And we'll just have to trust him on this. We need to say goodbye to him now."

And now they were back home, in the forest, waiting for the guards at the gate to trade shifts. Naruto was watching the gates, and Sakura was watching him.

Naruto's blue eyes were calm, not stormy with despair as they had been for so long. There was a resigned set to his jaw, and if he looked sad, he looked like he understood.

Sakura only hoped Kakashi-sensei would be so understanding. But he had to be. He had taught them, raised them to be so strong.

But he would miss Sasuke, too. He hadn't even gotten a goodbye.

Sakura stifled a sigh, just as Naruto said, "They're here. Let's go."

They broke out of the cover of the trees, and Sakura was surprised to see Shikamaru and Hinata at the gates. Hinata smiled at them, burning red when Naruto thanked her, and Shikamaru only rolled his eyes at Sakura and said, "Get in, troublesome woman."

Sakura smiled wide at him. She owed Shikamaru so much by now. "Thank you," she whispered, brushing past him.

"Shikamaru's a good guy," Naruto said.

Sakura nodded. "He really is," she said, wondering how it was that an outsider could care more about the four of them than their own (_ex_, Sakura amended) teammate did.

Then she shook the thought off. She had to get home. And then she needed to stop thinking about Sasuke, once and for all.

She could do it this time.

Just as she thought it, however, Sakura felt an all-too-familiar presence, and she gasped – and then she and Naruto were skidding to a halt and Kakashi was standing in front of them.

"Where have you been?" he asked, biting off the words.

Sakura shifted uneasily. She had never seen Kakashi-sensei so angry, and especially not at her. "We were just – we were—"

"We went to see Sasuke," Naruto said, not backing down.

Kakashi turned his glare on him. "Sakura's on probation."

"And Sasuke's our teammate," Naruto said. "You said that teammates matter more than the rules."

"He's not your teammate anymore," Kakashi said. "He didn't come back."

Naruto faltered, and Sakura glanced at him, then turned her gaze to Kakashi-sensei, lifting her chin defiantly.

"We know," he said. "I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. It won't happen again. Report me if you have to."

Kakashi stared at her for a long moment. Then he smiled. "You're still my student, Sakura," he said, patting her on the head, "I won't rat you out."

He walked away then, as if nothing had happened, and Sakura stared at his retreating figure, feeling numb.

"He's still our friend," Naruto said quietly to himself, as if he didn't quite believe it.

Sasuke-kun does everything for a reason, Sakura reminded herself.

So what had been his reason for this?

-x-

It was time Sasuke asked himself some hard questions. And, more importantly, it was time he answered them.

What had Naruto asked him? _Why do you only ever thank Sakura-chan?_

And what had Sakura asked? _Why was I not enough?_

Sasuke sank into his bed, palms pressed to his closed eyelids. He was tired. He was miserable. Training had been a constant companion since he was a kid. Improvement was always a goal. And now he had nothing.

Sasuke missed the trees and the sun and the too-hot air of the village he had grown up in. He missed his family home. What had happened to it since he had left again?

Sasuke rolled over and opened his eyes. He was faced with the picture of his newly-formed team. It had only been three years, and it felt like a lifetime ago, when all he had known was hate for Itachi. Life had been lonely then, but it was lonelier now.

What was he supposed to do now?

What would his brother have _wanted _him to do?

His apartment seemed emptier than it ever had before.

"_Why wasn't I enough?"_

Sasuke closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

He dreamed of sunlight on his face and green all around him.

-x-

"_Why do you only ever thank Sakura-chan?"_

Sasuke woke up, and finally knew the answer.

-x-

The route back to Konoha was one he had never taken alone, and yet, Sasuke had no problem finding it. He ran, faster than he had even when leaving, even when he needed to get away from any possible pursuers.

He didn't stop once he had gotten through the gates, though he did think, briefly, that they needed better guards.

He didn't stop when he passed Ichiraku, or even Hokage Tower. He didn't stop until he had caught up to Sakura's signature chakra, and then he looked around.

It was the Uchiha manor.

She was staring around her, scanning for people. Sasuke understood. It probably looked bad for her to be visiting his old home. She hadn't noticed him yet, though, and Sasuke finally uncloaked his chakra so she could sense him.

She did, almost immediately. And she stiffened. But she didn't look around for him.

"Go away," she said, voice flat. "Things are bad enough for me."

Sasuke stared down at her from the roof he was perched on. Her hair was still too long, tumbling around her neck and shoulders in messy spikes.

Her neck.

There was a mark on her that Sasuke had made. A part of her that belonged to him, that belonged to _them_.

Even when he had been in Oto, Sasuke thought more about Sakura than anyone else, even more than Naruto. Sakura had been tied to the night he left everything behind. He couldn't think of Konoha without thinking of Sakura. _Sakura _and _home _were inseparable, in Sasuke's mind, the same way _Naruto _and _team _were, or _Itachi _and _family._

Sakura _was _home.

"I'm not leaving," Sasuke said, leaping down nimbly from his perch. He landed softly ten feet away from her, then straightened, waiting.

"You're not allowed here," she snapped.

"It's my home," he said, staring straight at her.

"Not anymore," she said, looking away. "We're finally free of you, Sasuke-kun. Don't do this now."

Sasuke ignored her. He had been so confused, for so long, pushing Sakura away, then calling her back, only to run again when she got too close. He was done. He was home now. For good.

He wasn't stupid enough to think he would go unpunished. But he could take it. He _would _take it. There was nothing else left for him anymore. His brother was dead. His goal was accomplished, and the truth had left him hollow. All he had left was his home.

"Sasuke," Sakura snapped. "You had your chance to come back. You _can't _anymore. Get out of here before you get me caught. I'm on _probation_," she added bitterly.

"Because of me."

"Who else?" Sakura said. "The village hates me, they won't trust me anymore. You ruined my life, Sasuke-kun. Why come back in it?"

Sasuke was silent. Sakura's words were cutting, but the tone of her voice was worse. He had never heard her so angry, and especially not at him. Just how bad had the last two months been?

Sasuke flicked his gaze to the house behind Sakura. She noticed, and tensed.

"What are you going here?" he asked her.

"It's not your house anymore, Sasuke," she said defensively, crossing her arms over her chest. "I've been staying here."

"Why?"

Sakura grit her teeth. "I don't need to answer your questions. I'm leaving." She turned around and stomped towards the door of _his _house. Sasuke could appreciate the irony.

"Sakura," he called.

She faltered, then continued on. Sasuke said the only thing that he knew would shock her into staying.

"I don't like girls with long hair."

Sakura stopped. Slowly, she turned. "No?" she said, cautiously.

"No," he said. "Did you really think I did?"

"Well, I was young…" She coughed, touching her hair. Then she scowled. "All I wanted was to impress you. All I _want _is to make you notice me."

"I do," he said, so quietly he wasn't sure she had heard him.

"I thought we were making real progress," Sakura went on. "I thought, this time, things would we be different. We could be a real team."

Sasuke said, cautiously, "We _can _be. Now."

"How do I know you won't leave again?" she asked. "How do I know I can trust you this time?"

"Trust me."

"Like you trust _me?_" she demanded, thinking back to that day in his hospital room when he told her he didn't. it felt so long ago, but so little seemed to have changed.

"Yes."

Sakura's eyes flashed up to meet Sasuke's, shocked. His expression was blank, smooth as stone.

"I was lonely," he said evenly, then shrugged. "Because I didn't have you."

Sakura's heart thudded in her chest. "You're back for real?" she whispered. Sasuke nodded. "Why did you come back? why _now_?"

"I came back," Sasuke said, "For you."

There was a roaring in her ears as Sakura stared up at him, stunned. Had Sasuke said—did he mean—

No. _no_.

Sakura turned her back on him. "I can't deal with this, Sasuke-kun. I don't know what you're trying to say, but leave me out of it." She began to walk away again, not knowing _why _she was doing this, or why _he _was doing this or why _they _couldn't just be together properly, but Sasuke's voice stopped her, _again._

"I can't."

Sakura's breath left her and she closed her eyes. "Sasuke-kun—"

And suddenly, Sasuke was right behind her, pushing aside her curtain of hair, and leaning down to the spot on the base of her neck that he had struck so many times.

Sakura was just about to spin around and shove him away when she felt the first brush of lips against the back of her neck, and she froze. Then, again, more insistent now, Sasuke trailed his lips along the base of her neck, and then came his fingers, touching but not pressing, and her breath caught.

Sakura didn't move.

"Sakura," Sasuke said from behind her, and her heart thump against her chest, until he continued, and then Sakura felt her heart stop. "I'm trying to tell you… _thank you_. For bringing me home."

Sakura turned, eyes very wide, and very green. They were shining with a hope Sasuke knew she was trying to resist.

"You're back," she said.

"I'm back."

"For good?"

"For good."

Sakura broke into a bright, beaming smile, eyes brightening. It felt like it had been so long since she smiled like this, straight from the heart. Part of her couldn't believe it, but she knew that, finally, it was _real_.

"Sasuke-kun…" She began, then stopped. "You should tell Naruto. He'll be so happy."

"Later," he said, staring down at her. How long had it taken him to get to this point?

They both knew it wouldn't be easy. Sasuke would be in a lot of trouble, and the villagers wouldn't be so welcoming this time. Kakashi wouldn't be easily won over, even if Naruto would be. But they had gotten this far with only each other. They had their friends, and this was their home. They weren't going anywhere else.

"What does this mean," Sakura said suddenly, "For us?"

Sasuke looked blank. "Us?" he echoed. Then he looked up at the house in front of them, the house he had grown up in, and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. With a wry smile, Sakura slipped her palm into his so he could hold her hand.

"Come with me," he said, "And I'll show you."


End file.
